


Are You A Beast Or A Man?

by Kyuubiluver342



Category: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Genre: Kamina Still Dies, M/M, Simon needs a hug, Viral Is A Part Of Team Gurren
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-23
Updated: 2019-11-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 01:27:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21529183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kyuubiluver342/pseuds/Kyuubiluver342
Summary: Viral is taken prisoner by Team Gurren under Kamina's command. Watch as he becomes a part of the team and learns more about himself as well.
Relationships: Simon/Viral
Comments: 1
Kudos: 45





	Are You A Beast Or A Man?

Viral’s back hits the ground and he struggled to get up again. The enemy was right there, standing above him, the idiot called Kamina was making a big deal about their victory and Viral resisted the urge to curse him out. He had lost and as the victor, Kamina had a right to do with him as he pleased. A shiver of fear went through him, not that he would ever admit it.

“Take that, you animal bastard! Bet you’ll think twice before you challenge the Great Kamina again!” the cockpit opened and Kamina stood there, all bright eyed and victorious. 

The sun shone down upon him and Viral found himself in awe. He felt almost like he was in the presence of the Spiral King and shuddered, wondering what will happen to him now. Will he be killed for this? He can’t help the fear that went down his spine. That was what the Spiral King would do to him and he had to wonder if this Kamina was of the same mindset.

“Aniki!” a second voice called and Viral looked up to see a second cockpit, one on top of the second head, open up.

There was a second pilot? That explained a lot.

“Simon! We won!” Kamina cheered and Viral watched as a second human appeared from the other cockpit, but the boy was much younger than the man in the main mech.

He was holding his arm, panting heavily and looking a bit worse for wear and Kamina’s face dropped quickly.

“Oi! Simon, are you ok!” Kamina scrambled up the side of the mech and to where his second in command was.

Viral was startled by the amount of worry and fear he heard in Kamina’s voice as he gently helped this Simon from his mech. The boy was barely standing, slumped against Kamina like his legs couldn’t hold him up and Viral wondered how the boy could show such weakness in front of their enemy like this. Didn’t he know how bad this made him look? How bad this made Kamina look?

“Oi, Simon, how are you feeling?” Kamina demanded and Simon gave a small smile.

“I’m ok, Aniki. Just… tired.” Simon breathed and Kamina nodded.

With some adjusting, he pulled Simon onto his back and looked down at Viral. Kamina didn’t seem interested in taunting him anymore.

“I hope this teaches you to leave us humans alone, you furry asshole. Now, get lost.” Kamina demanded.

Viral just stared.

“What?” Viral demanded.

“I said go! Get! Fuck off, you!” Kamina snapped back as he climbed down from the mech.

Viral just continued to lay there. Was he for real? He was just going to let Viral go? Was he stupid? Or did he just really not care about Viral? The idea that he was being let go because the human didn’t see him as a threat almost sent Viral into a rage.

“You miserable, naked ape! You dare treat me like this!” Viral howled.

Viral saw red as the humans looked at him. He darted in, not even bothering to use anything other than his own claws. If they wanted to treat him like a dumb animal, he would kill them as one! Kamina tensed, ready to take the blow when he was shoved. Viral’s claws met flesh, but not of the one he wanted to hit.

“SIMON!” Kamina screamed.

The second pilot had pushed off Kamina’s back, sending him to the ground while Simon took the brunt of the attack. His cries of pain and the sight of blood made Viral pause and it was enough for Kamina to slam his fist into Viral’s face. The enraged eyes of Kamina was the last thing he saw before his head hit the ground and he was out cold.

He woke up to yelling, which wasn’t uncommon, but it clearly wasn’t directed towards him, which was odd.

“We need to kill him!” a female voice yelled.

“For what reason! He’s just some puny, dumb beastman!” Kamina snapped back.

Viral blinked his eyes open, slowly turning his head to see he was laying on the ground, Kamina and a female naked ape screaming at each other nearby.

“Oh, you’re awake.” someone whispered to his right.

He turned to the other side to see the second pilot, Simon, staring at him. He was jacketless, showing the thick bandages wrapped around his body. There was a slight twinge of regret when he saw them, he hadn’t been aiming for the weaker human after all, but he squashed it quickly.

“How are you feeling? Aniki gave you a nasty hit.” Simon whispered.

Viral stared at him, confused. Why did he care if he was injured or not? They were enemies. A loud slap cut off what he was going to say next and they turned to see the female storming off while Kamina held his cheek.

“God damn it, Yoko!” Kamina yelled at her back as he rubbed his cheek.

“Aniki.” Simon sighed, but it was affectionate.

Viral glanced between the two. Based on scent alone, they weren’t actually related. So what was the relationship here?

“Oh, you’re awake, huh asshole?” Kamina demanded as he walked over and sat down on Viral’s other side.

Kamina scowled at him and Viral growled back. Simon watched them growl at each other before sighing again. As he did so, he winced and Kamina’s attention was immediately on him.

“Oi, you ok over there, Simon?” Kamina demanded.

“I’m fine, Aniki. My back just hurts a bit.” Simon waved him off.

Kamina’s head snapped to Viral and he glared.

“You hurt my little brother, you dick! If it weren’t for Simon, I would have left you to rot.” Kamina glared.

“You should have left me. I’m the enemy. Showing care for the enemy is a weakness.” Viral replied.

Simon flushed and looked down, looking ashamed. He really showed his heart on his sleeve, huh?

“Oi! Simon is the strongest guy there is. Don’t you dare look down on him!” Kamina snapped.

“He keeps showing weakness to the enemy. Are you dumb?” Viral demanded.

Kamina shot to his feet and pointed.

“That’s it, furball. Stand up and say that to my face! I’ll make a rug out of you!” Kamina demanded.

“Um Aniki, he can’t stand up, remember?” Simon pulled the blanket back and for the first time, Viral actually realized he was chained down.

He struggled to get up, but it’s no use and he finally gave up. Kamina mocked him as he lay there, but Simon just adjusted the blanket so it was covering him again.

“What is the point of the blanket?” Viral asked.

“It’s for the kids. I don’t want them to see you in chains or that you’re a beastman. They might get scared.” Simon stated.

Viral stared at him, confused. He had such weird logic that Viral couldn’t follow it. Kamina huffed and sat down again, head leaning on his hand.

“You should get some rest, Simon. I’ll keep watch over him.” Kamina stated.

“Are you sure, Aniki? We can take shifts if you want.” Simon asked concerned.

The worry between them in clear and Viral growled.

“What is with you two? Are all humans this sentimental?” Viral demanded.

Kamina huffed.

“I will have you know Simon and I have a manly connection that goes beyond blood, beyond family, beyond the stars! Our hearts and minds burn for each other brighter than the sun in the sky!” Kamina continued on after that, but Viral stopped listening.

Viral raised an eyebrow before turning to Simon. He was flushed and rubbing the back of his neck, but he looked happy.

“What he means is we grew up together. We’ve been through a lot together.” Simon explained.

Viral hummed and looked at Simon again, this time a bit closer. He was young, much younger than both Kamina and himself. There was still an innocence to his face, to his eyes, that Viral no longer had. Viral scuffed and rolled his eyes.

“That means nothing. I grew up alongside plenty beastmen and they never acted like you two.” Viral stated.

“That is because you beastmen don’t understand the fire in the human soul!” Kamina yelled.

Viral was about to tear into him when he smelt blood.

“Oi, you bleeding again?” Viral asked.

“Eh, you’re bleeding! Why didn’t you say something, Simon!” Kamina demanded.

“I’m sorry.” Simon looked away, shoulders slumped.

Kamina grumbled as he moved around the other side, moved behind Simon and started to undo the bandages. Simon stayed quiet as Kamina checked the wounds, cleaned them up and re-wrapped them. His hands were gentle and steady, making sure not to hit the skin, least he cause Simon pain. When he was done, Kamina nodded, pleased and placed a hand on Simon’s shoulder.

“Get some rest, ok?” Kamina said.

It was gentle and Viral felt weird, like he was seeing something he shouldn’t be a part of. Simon sighed and nodded before getting up. He walked over to a small pile of blankets and curled up under them. Kamina waited until he heard the tattletale signs that Simon was asleep before turning to Viral.

“You will listen and you will listen good, you got me? Until we figure out what to do with you, you will not cause any problems. Not for Simon, not for me and not for any of the humans here, got it?” Kamina demanded.

His eyes were like burning coals. He held Viral’s own golden one, not letting him look away.

“And if I say no?” Viral challenged.

Kamina’s fist slammed the ground next to Viral’s head.

“It’s the last thing you will ever do. Simon saved you today, but if you get out of line, your ass is mine.” Kamina declared.

Viral wondered if Kamina understood what he was saying. Did this mean they were going to let him live? The enemy living in their base?

“You do realize there is no reason to keep me alive, right? I’m one more mouth to feed. I could easily escape and tell my commander where your base is. Hell, I would get rewarded for doing so.” Viral pointed out.

Kamina sat back and crossed his arms.

“There are twenty women here and fifteen children.” Kamina stated.

Viral paused, confused.

“If you told them our weaknesses, you would be helping them die. You call yourselves beastmen, but what side do you lean towards more: beast or man? Your choice will prove it one way or the other.” Kamina declared.

Viral felt the air rush from his lungs. What was this? What was this man? The way he sat there, the way he held himself, the way he stared into Viral’s soul, everything was beyond what Viral understood. He had compared him once to the Spiral King, but that was wrong. The Spiral King used cold logic to pin you down and make you feel small.

This man? This human with his weird ideas and phrases? He built you up until you wanted to go beyond what you were originally capable of, until you wanted to be more than what you were born for. Viral stared because he wasn’t sure what else there was to do. Kamina nodded, as if he saw something inside Viral change before he moved until his back was against the wall.

“I have nothing. No family, no father…” Kamina trailed off for a moment before his eyes drifted over to Simon.

“Simon is all I got and I will die before I let a single fucking beastmen laid their hands on him.” Kamina said coldly.

Viral’s eyes drifted to the lump under the blankets and he wondered what the kid had done to inspire such love and protection from this man.

“What’s so special about him?” Viral asked without thinking.

Realizing his slip up, he flushed, turning his head away. What did he care! Honestly, it seemed being around humans too long messed with his head.

“Simon and I came from the small underground village. His parents were crushed to death and my father left me there. Whatever I was in a bind, I could always count on Simon to find a way out. Whenever I thought it was hopeless, I knew if I looked at Simon, I would find him digging his way out of whatever mess we got ourselves into. I knew, despite how small his shoulders were, he would force his way out of any trouble.” Kamina explained.

Viral frowned. He couldn’t imagine the kid doing anything other than crying and running away. Kamina let the silence sit, arms crossed as he watched Simon sleep. Only an hour passed, maybe a bit more, before the ground started to shake violently and Kamina cursed. Simon jerked up, eyes wide with terror.

“Aniki!” Simon screamed. 

Kamina grabbed him and held him tight, rubbing his back as Simon whimpered and shook. His eyes were terrified, but far away, like he wasn’t really conscious.

“We’re gonna die! We’re gonna be crushed! I don’t wanna be crushed!” Simon’s voice was soft, but full of frantic panic.

He clung to Kamina, like he was the only thing keeping Simon alive and just as suddenly as the rumbling started, it stopped. Simon sat there, trembling with all the force of an earthquake before calming down.

“It’s ok, Simon. I’m right here. Kamina is right here.” Kamina whistled into his hair.

Kamina continued saying things like that until Simon was calm and sound asleep. He placed Simon back in ‘bed’ and turned to Viral with a simple kind of understanding. They did not speak because they don’t need to.

The next morning, Viral woke up, which was confusing because when the fuck did he fall asleep? He shifted slightly before he paused, hearing crying from nearby. He looked over to see a strange scene. Simon had his arms wrapped around Kamina’s shoulders as he cried. His cries are sharp and harsh, like he can’t get enough air, but he needed to get his emotions out, his face buried in Simon’s shoulder.

Simon and he locked eyes, but Simon shook his head, as if telling him not to say a word. Viral watched as Kamina cried his heart out, something about his father? Viral didn’t understand. Kamina eventually calmed down and Simon put him to bed before sitting by Viral’s side.

“We found a skeleton.” Simon stated and Viral was confused.

“So?” Viral asked.

“It was his father. He recognized some of the jewelry he was wearing. Kamina… believed all these years that his father was waiting for him on the surface. That if he got here, he would see his father again.” Simon said.

Viral stared before looking at the sleeping man nearby.

“You humans have some weird beliefs.” Viral whispered.

Simon picked up a rock and held it in his hands, rolling it between them.

“Sometimes, you just need to believe in something.” Simon replied softly.

Viral continued to learn about the humans as the days go on. Yoko, the female one, didn’t trust him. Said so point blank to his face and he scuffed at her, it’s not like he cared whether or not she liked him. They are still enemies, after all. Simon had healed, but his jacket was badly damaged and they didn’t have anything to fix it with. Everytime he threw it on before he left, Viral found himself staring at the marks on his back and felt odd. Something like regret curled in his stomach.

The humans asked him why he doesn’t try to escape, especially when they released him from the chains to eat and use the restroom. He told them he knew there was nowhere for him to go. Even if he did try to return, his commanders and the King would think something fishy happened. Viral would rather them assume he died than go back in shame.

“Then join our cause.” Kamina said one night while they ate.

Simon and Kamina insisted on being the ones to watch him and Viral paused, a piece of bread hanging from his mouth.

“Huh?” Viral replied.

“Yeah, you can join the team! It’ll be great!” Kamina said brightly.

Simon looked a little confused, but nodded along as if he understood. Viral had no idea what Kamina was talking about.

“Are you honestly asking me to go against my fellow beastmen!” Viral snarled.

“Well, why not? You said they would kill you the second they saw you anyway!” Kamina replied.

“I have pride! I’m not just going to throw that away!” Viral snarled back.

Kamina’s and his foreheads were pressed against each other, growling and snarling with rage. Simon, used to these things by now, hummed, head tilted back as he looked at the ceiling.

“But won’t this prove something?” Simon asked.

The two looked at him and Simon flushed.

“Prove what? That I am a weak-minded fool? That a bunch of humans are enough for me to go against my own kind?” Viral snapped.

“No, that you have the right to make your own decisions. You said that everything was picked for you from the minute of your birth, right? Doesn’t this show you have the ability to pick your own path?” Simon asked.

The other two were quiet before Kamina whistled.

“Couldn’t have said it better myself, little bro!” Kamina slapped him on the back as Simon scratched his cheek.

Viral sat back and stared at him. He was right, in a way. If Viral made this decision, it would be his own. He would be in control of his own life. He could do what he pleased. No more orders, no more suffering, no more commanders to please. Viral breathed and it was like a weight on his mind was suddenly gone.

“Fine, I’ll do it.” Viral said and Kamina let out a yell of triumph while Simon shot him a smile.

It was a bit harder to convince the other humans, but in the end, Kamina wore them down. Enki, Viral’s Gunmen, had been taken in by the humans with the hopes of using it for parts if Gurren Lagann ever needed them. Thankfully, they hadn’t done anything to it yet and Viral was able to slip back into the pilot seat without worries.

Their first fight together was… something at least. Kamina and Viral bickered the whole time while Simon begged for them to get along. They stopped the beastmen that was attacking them, but when they got back to the base, Yoko was standing there, red faced.

“What did you idiots think you were doing!” she screamed.

Viral really didn’t see why he had to stand there and take her screaming, but the second he went to walk away, her eyes were on him and he just stopped. They stood there for a good ten minutes, listening to her rant and rave at them before she stormed off.

“Your female is terrifying.” Viral whispered as they walked back to their room.

“Oh god, don’t let Yoko hear you call her that! She’ll blow us all to hell!” Simon whispered back quickly.

“Why? Aren’t you two in charge? Seemed like it to me.” Viral asked.

“That’s because the Great Kamina follows his own path! People can either follow me or get out of my way!” Kamina laughed boldly and Simon just sighed.

They settled down and Viral crossed his arms. Maybe… this wouldn’t be too bad.

“YOU WANT TO WHAT!” Viral roared.

“We are going after their base.” Kamina replied calmly.

Viral stared at him, eyes wide with shock.

“Are you stupid! Do you have any idea who pilots that base!” Viral snarled.

Kamina scowled and their foreheads slammed together.

“I don’t care! We’re taking that base for ourselves!” Kamina replied hotly.

“He’ll kill you before you can get close!” Viral hissed.

“He can fucking try! I am the man who will split the earth and escape to the stars!” Kamina laughed loudly and Viral shook with rage.

Did he have any idea what he was saying? Did he have any idea what would happen? Of course not! Viral stormed off, feeling angry and scared. Is this what he had agreed to? God, by joining this team, he might as well have walked in front of a Gunmen’s canon and told them to shoot!

“Viral!” Simon chased him and he glanced at him from the corner of his eye.

Kamina was an idiot, a fool with dreams of grandorie, but Simon? Simon wasn’t like that. He just wanted to live peacefully. Why he followed a fool like Kamina…

“What?” Viral demanded.

“You know this base right? Can you help us?” Simon asked.

Viral stopped and looked at him. He did know this base, the commander and everything about it.

“The reason I want to stop you all is because I know this base! You idiots won’t even get close!” Viral snapped.

Simon stared at him and it was so honest, so open that Viral had to look away.

“If you know this base, you can help us. Please Viral.” Simon begged.

Viral closed his eyes and sighed.

The attack… went better than Viral ever thought it would. With his help and the help of other humans coming to join the battle, they had attacked the base and won. Viral was so amazed they won, he didn’t realize, at first, something had gone horribly, horribly wrong. Until he heard the scream.

“ANIKI!” Viral’s head snapped up and he bolted from his Gunmen, racing to where Gurren Lagann stood still.

He stared because that’s all he could do. Simon was kneeling in the dirt, screaming, Yoko crying and Kamina? Kamina lay dead in the pilot’s seat, a smile on his face as rain and blood rolled down it. His knees hit the ground and he was screaming.

The funeral was quiet and small. The new team had gathered around Simon, but in his mourning, he pushed them all away. He didn’t want their pity, their care or their help. Viral didn’t bother to approach him, realizing that Simon would either die of a broken heart or thrive. But it was up to Simon to pick. No one else could help him.

He watched as Simon mowed down the other beastmen coming to take the base back, watched as Simon ran himself into the ground, watched as Simon faded from a vibrant young man to a shell and he could do nothing. His own weakness made him sick, so he worked alongside the other humans to keep them alive, to prove he had some worth, besides being a beastmen.

The old team went to bat for him with the new group of humans. They didn’t trust him, didn’t want him around, but Yoko put her foot down.

“He is a part of Team Gurren. If you try to get rid of him, you’ll have to go through me.” she declared one day and that was that. 

No one dared comment or complain about him again. It felt like maybe, for the first time, he was where he was meant to be.

Simon was wasting away. He barely ate, barely slept, barely did anything other than fight. When the beastmen came, he was the first on the battlefield and the last off. Others had tried to pilot the mech with him, but they all complained they couldn’t handle it for long. Simon was too reckless, too bold, too angry to hear their complaints and finally, it was Viral’s turn. Staring at the empty cockpit, he felt a twist of something in his stomach. Kamina’s blood had been washed out long ago, but for a moment, he could swear he could still smell it.

“Just get in.” Kittan demanded and Viral scowled.

“Fuck off! Don’t tell me what to do!” he snapped.

Kittan and he didn’t exactly get along and it wasn’t the kind of relationship that he had with Kamina, where there was at least some mutual respect. Kittan and he hated each other and Viral could say he would shed no tears if Kittan died in battle. He slowly moved inside and as the hatch closed, he let out a breath. He sat in the same seat Kamina once had and he felt strange. Tears pricked at the corner of his eyes and he wiped them away quickly.

“Are you ready?” Simon asked blankly.

“Whenever you are, brat.” Viral replied.

The mech moved before Viral knew what was happening and he cursed as he slammed his head. He dared not say a word, not while Simon was fighting like he was going to die if he didn’t. He just held on for dear life and finally understood what all those other humans were complaining about.

When it was done, Viral climbed out of the mech, but Simon didn’t move and as he stood there, waiting for Simon to come out, he wondered if he would ever get free of it. Ever escape the darkness behind his eyes.

He got his answer the next day, when Simon came back with a girl by the name of Nia and damn if that name wasn’t familiar. Nia was a breath of fresh air, someone new and exciting for everyone to meet. She gave them something worth fighting for. Then they learned she was Princess Nia, daughter of the Spiral King and all went to hell rather quickly.

The only one who was calm about it was Simon and Viral can see a special connection between them. Every time Nia was threatened, Simon came to life and Viral was struck by something Kamina had told him forever ago. So long ago, he had almost forgotten.

_ “Whenever I thought it was hopeless, I knew if I looked at Simon, I would find him digging his way out of whatever mess we got ourselves into. I knew, despite how small his shoulders were, he would force his way out of any trouble.”  _ Kamina’s word whispered in his head and Viral smiled.

“So you knew what you were talking about after all. Huh.” Viral muttered amazed.

Viral was there when they took on the Spiral King, was there when he was defeated, was there when humanity crawled out of the holes they had dug and started to live their lives on the surface. He left for a few years, coming back only when Nia turned into the Anti-Spiral Messenger, when Simon needed his help to pilot Gurren Lagann, needed him by Simon’s side when Nia faded away on their wedding day. Viral watched as Simon turned his back on all they knew, preparing to walk away from it all forever, to go down as some myth or legend that parents tell their children at bedtime, before Viral tapped him on the shoulder.

“Mind if I join you?” Viral asked, smirking and Simon smiled back.

“Never, old buddy. Let’s get going then.” Simon replied.

The old Viral died the day Kamina looked down at him from Gurren Lagann, but new Viral? He lives on still, by Simon’s side, where he always belonged.


End file.
